As is well known in the art, various vascular grafts or prostheses are often employed to treat and reconstruct damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels.
Currently, the vascular grafts often employed to reconstruct (or replace) damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels are autologous arteries and veins, e.g., internal mammary artery or saphenous vein; particularly, in situations where small diameter (i.e. 3-4 mm) vessels are required, such as below the knee and coronary artery bypass grafting.
Autologous arteries and veins are, however, often unavailable, due to prior harvest, or unsuitable, due to arterial disease.
When autologous arteries and veins are unavailable or unsuitable, synthetic polytatrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Dacron® grafts are often employed to reconstruct or replace damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels; particularly, in situations where large diameter (i.e. ≧6 mm) vessels are required.
There are, however, numerous drawbacks and disadvantages associated with synthetic grafts. A major drawback is the poor median patency exhibited by synthetic grafts, due to stenosis, thromboembolization, calcium deposition and infection. Indeed, it has been found that patency is >25% @ 3 years using synthetic and cryopreserved grafts in peripheral and coronary bypass surgeries, compared to >70% for autologous vascular grafts. See Chard, et al., Aorta-Coronary Bypass Grafting with Polytetrafluoroethylene Conduits: Early and Late Outcome in Eight Patients, j Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, vol. 94, pp. 312-134 (1987).
Decellularized bovine internal jugular xenografts and human allograft vessels from cadavers have also employed to reconstruct or replace damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels. Such grafts are, however, prone to calcification and thrombosis and, thus, have not gained significant clinical acceptance.
Vascular prostheses constructed of various biodegradable materials, such as poly (trimethylene carbonate), have also been developed to reconstruct damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels. There are, however, several drawbacks and disadvantages associated with such prostheses.
One major disadvantage is that the biodegradable materials and, hence, prostheses formed therefrom, often break down at a faster rate than is desirable for the application. A further disadvantage is that the materials can, and in many instances will, break down into large, rigid fragments that can cause obstructions in the interior of the vessel.
More recently, vascular grafts comprising various remodelable materials, such as extracellular matrix sheets, have been developed to treat and reconstruct damaged or diseased cardiovascular vessels. Illustrative are the vascular grafts disclosed in Applicant's Co-Pending application Ser. No. 13/573,226.
Although such grafts have garnered overwhelming success and, hence, gained significant clinical acceptance, there are a few drawbacks associated with such grafts. Among the drawbacks are the construction and, hence, configuration of the noted vascular grafts.
As discussed in detail in Co-Pending application Ser. No. 13/573,226, such grafts typically comprise one or more sheets of ECM tissue, e.g., small intestine submucosa, which is secured at one edge to form a tubular structure. The secured edge or seam can, and in many instances will, disrupt blood flow through the graft. A poorly secured edge also poses a significant risk of thrombosis.
Further, in some instances, wherein the ECM graft comprises two or more sheets, i.e. a multi-sheet laminate, such as disclosed in Co-pending application Ser. No. 14/031,423, the laminate structure is prone to delamination.
Thus, readily available, versatile vascular grafts that are not prone to calcification, thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia would fill a substantial and growing clinical need.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide vascular grafts (including “endografts”) that substantially reduce or eliminate (i) the risk of thrombosis, (ii) intimal hyperplasia after intervention in a vessel, (iii) the harsh biological responses associated with conventional polymeric and metal prostheses, and (iv) the formation of biofilm, inflammation and infection.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vascular grafts that can effectively replace or improve biological functions or promote the growth of new tissue in a subject.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vascular grafts that induce host tissue proliferation, bioremodeling and regeneration of new tissue and tissue structures with site-specific structural and functional properties.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vascular grafts that are capable of administering a pharmacological agent to host tissue and, thereby produce a desired biological and/or therapeutic effect.